Harry's Exception
by secretfanficlover
Summary: Harry has lots of rules regarding relationships, will Draco be the exception to the rules? Warnings: Slight mentions of sex, swearing, manipulative behavior


**This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

Games and Sports Task 2: Prompt - Write about someone adding, taking away or changing the rules for something or someone.

**Harry's Exception **

Word count: 2180

Beta:

Warnings: Slight mentions of sex, swearing, and manipulative behavior

When Draco finally realised that status meant nothing after the war, he shrugged off the oppression of the family name. He found a job at the Ministry despite his past. He believed that they had gotten to the point where they could make peace.

Harry did save everyone's lives after all. He had also returned the favor by saving Harry when he could have given him up. This idea didn't bother him as much as it used to.

"Hey Potter," Draco said one day after their daily grind at the Ministry. They saw each other in the elevator all the time, but this was the first time Draco acknowledged his presence as something other than just another person occupying space in the elevator with him.

"Malfoy?" Harry responded. It sounded like a question. There was more to that one word, why were they talking? When had Malfoy decided his presence was worth noting?

"So, I thought a lot, and I don't think we should keep on with this childish feud," Malfoy said maturely.

"Oh, really?" Harry's mind was swimming, and for the first time he met Malfoy's eyes, those silver eyes carrying an emotion other than controlled scorn and annoyance.

"Yeah, we're both mature adults, let's put this behind us, what do you say?" Malfoy said, it was an eerie flashback when he held out his aristocratic pale hand for Harry to shake. Harry clasped Draco's hand firmly in his own and said: "Sounds good."

"Let's go for a beer or something after work?" Malfoy suggested. Harry nodded as the elevator reached the main floor and came to a stop. The two arranged to meet at The Three Broomsticks at 6PM. So Harry went home to change out of his Auror Robes. He had become an Auror and was working in the field with Ron tracking down the last of the Death Eaters who managed to escape from the final battle. Harry disliked his job, and was hoping that he would soon be able to venture into something different. Perhaps owning his own bakery? He had always loved baking.

Malfoy was working as an international diplomat with the Ministry because of his language skills, he was fluent in Latin and French, which was a rare combination of a wizard in the Ministry of Magic.

As much as his name and father affected his employment opportunities, he made up for it with his linguistic abilities. It also didn't harm his record that the Man-Who-Lived vouched for him and said Malfoy saved his life.

Harry walked into the bar, surprised to see Malfoy at the bar, wearing faded blue jeans and a green v-neck t shirt, with sunglasses. His hair wasn't gelled back like at work, and it added a softness Harry had never noticed before. He found it strange that he wanted to run his fingers through Malfoy's hair to see if it felt as soft as it looked.

They spent the night in an easy back and forth, knocking back drinks and just chatting about work and meaningless pleasantries. The night went well. It went so well in fact, that the planned the same thing for the next Friday.

During the week they started greeting each other in the morning in the elevator, chatting until Harry reached his floor and got out. The same thing happened in the afternoon. They would greet each other and continue chatting as if they were the best of friends. People soon noticed a subtle change in their behavior towards each other. It got more relaxed and friendly as time passed.

"Anything interesting happen during work today Potter?" he asked out of curiosity one day.

"If I told you, I would have to kill you," Harry responded.

The line seemed clear cut at first, some chatting and maybe a little flirting, but neither of them made a move. And no one really knows why this is happening but the more they went out and the more they drank the more unclear the line seemed to become. Until one night the rules changed completely. Both males were sitting at the bar, and Draco made a comment.

"Look at that nice ass," Draco commented, and Harry looked to see a well-built man walk past the bar.

"You're gay?" Harry said.

"Oh come on, you haven't noticed? How oblivious can you be?" Malfoy said.

"Are you for real?" Harry queried, eyebrows raised.

"I am very real. I'm the realest person you're ever gonna meet, Harry," Malfoy responded without pause.

Harry wanted to ignore the slip of the tongue but he couldn't help himself.

"You called me Harry," he said, his booze was catching up a bit.

"Really? Is there a rule were we have to call each other by last names? Don't we know each other better than that?" Malfoy responded to that.

"There is a rule, but it can change I suppose," he muttered slurring a little.

Draco ignored that comment. "I'm bisexual, actually," he responded to the previous question.

"Oh sweet me too," Harry said.

"That would be interesting information, if I wasn't already aware of it, Harry," Draco responded.

"How did you know?" Harry asked.

"Granger told me, we work together, remember?" Draco said rolling his eyes at the man.

"Hermione is a darlin' isn't she?" Harry said to that.

"Oh dear, that's drunk Harry speaking," Draco said, and helped Harry get back home after he finished his drink.

Harry laughed and said: "Your hair looks fluffy when we aren't at work." Then he reached out to gently touch the bonds' usually gelled hair, feeling it soft to the touch.

"Harry, you're messing up my hair," Draco said with mild annoyance. "It's just not gelled, that's all…"

"I like it better this way," Harry said drunkenly.

Nothing happened that night, other than Harry drunkenly muttering: "I have lots of rules for going out with you, but we can talk about that tomorrow…" and then Harry fell asleep on his couch that night, Draco tucking him in with a gentle touch.

This left Draco wondering about the rules that Harry had mentioned. Instead of being straight up about it he used his leftover Slytherin cunning to talk to Granger about it instead. Granger was wearing a gold chain

"Hey Granger," Draco said.

"Yes?" she responded looking up from her papers in front of her.

"You know you told me about Harry," he started.

"Harry doesn't date, Malfoy. It doesn't matter who you are," she replied guessing where this was heading.

"Why not?" he asked, hating the curiously clear in this voice. He didn't intend to interrogate her, he just really wanted to know what the deal was with Harry and those rules of his.

"Something about breaking his rules," she muttered, not really invested in this disaster waiting to happen.

"Which rules? He mentioned rules the other day," Malfoy enquired, not ready to let it drop just yet. "I just don't think I can take that kind of rejection!" he added dramatically. He always had a flare for sarcasm.

"I don't know all of it…" she tried.

"Then tell me what you know then," he asked hoping he didn't sound desperate.

"Basically, he doesn't date anyone that doesn't meet his criteria. Things such as, no getting familiar or first name basis, no sleeping with someone, no traditional dates, no labels…" Hermione said and sighed. "Can I finish the presentation now?" she asked.

"Sure," Draco said, wondering how to get around this no dating thing. He wasn't a casual type of guy, but he couldn't help wondering what it would be like taking Harry home one night.

"Love is, I think, wasted on the young," Hermione muttered to herself over her paperwork as she watched Draco leave her office.

"Why did you change up your hair?" Harry asked Draco the next afternoon when they spotted each other in the elevator.

"You said you prefer it like this," Draco said honestly.

"Wow, gosh, I don't even remember mentioning it, but it does look softer this way, makes you look more approachable," Harry explained.

"That's basically what you said," Draco responded, playing it down since he didn't want Harry focusing too much on the fact that he made such a big change based on his opinion. Just then the elevator stopped and they walked out, both going home before meeting up again at the pub.

The rules started to change more and more slowly- one night the two had both had quite a lot to drink, and Draco blurted out: "I think you're hot, you know," out of nowhere.

"Thanks, not to bad yourself," Harry had responded in his drunken state.

"Why do you have those stupid fucking rules?" Draco blurted out.

"To find the exception," Harry said with wisdom not fitting his current state.

Draco learned in, kissing the man in front of him passionately, and Harry moaned and ran his fingers through the blond hair. That night one thing led to another and they awoke in Draco's bed the next morning.

After those things had carried on in the same manner, all that changed was the frequency of their sleepovers. They never discussed actually dating, because Harry still wasn't sure about actually "dating". They hung out, became "friends with benefits" and the relationship dynamic worked for both of them. It seemed like everything was perfect between the two of them.

The two men had gone from checking out men and women in the bar and started focusing on one another. "Rules" forgotten Harry fell into a comfort zone with Draco. Although he wasn't willing to name it, he enjoyed the time they spent together. He enjoyed the sex, of course but there was more to the blond than met the eye.

So they went on every week, seeing one another, and nobody else, but neither willing to admit they are exclusively dating. It was obvious to anyone who had eyes that the two men had something special going on, yet they carried on and on in the same manner.

That was until Harry realised that his feelings had grown from lust to love. By this time, it seemed like Draco was comfortable with the "just friends" arrangement. Their Friday discussions had come to include anyone they saw romantically. "I'm taking out Luna sometime," Draco had said.

"_Luna Lovegood?_" Harry said in shock. He would never have imagined that Draco would date someone like her.

"Why not? She is open-minded, and beautiful," he added.

"I, uhm, yeah sure," Harry muttered.

"Unless you have some problem with it, I mean these are your rules, no attachments right?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, but she knows…" Harry trailed off.

"She knows we sleep together, yes," Draco said. He was trying to stop his heart from contacting at Harry's questions. It didn't mean anything.

"Oh, uhm, great then," Harry said, his emerald green eyes saying so much more than his mouth.

"That doesn't mean we need to stop, you know," Draco said, trying to sound confident even though he didn't know what he would do if Harry wanted to stop.

"Of course, as long as everyone is aware of the situation nothing needs to change," he said with a hollow voice.

"Why don't you just say what you mean?" Draco said suddenly.

"I have no idea what you mean," Harry said.

"So me and Luna doesn't bother you?" Draco asked indignantly.

"Uhm, I have no say over who you date Draco," Harry muttered, downing a shot at the bar.

"Sod those stupid rules and tell me how you feel already," Draco said dramatically.

"I don't like it, I want you all to myself," Harry said in a quiet voice.

"You've got some explaining to do," Draco muttered to this response.

"Oh come on, can't we just forget all about it?" Harry said, blushing furiously.

"You want to be exclusive?" Draco confirmed.

"Yes stupid, I want to be your boyfriend, I want us to be a couple and I want to be exclusive," he said throwing caution to the wind.

"But what of those rules?" Draco asked.

"You seem to be changing all my rules, Draco," he said smiling.

"Happy to be of assistance, Harry, oh and forget Luna, I was just trying to get you to tell me the truth," Draco added.

"How dare you!" Harry said indignantly but before he could fully get the words out, Draco was kissing him again.

"Let's go back to my place then," Draco whispered in his ear. Harry moaned loudly.

"Seems like I could be that exception," he murmured against Harry's ear.

"Exception to what?" Harry asked confused.

"You said you have rules to find the exception, I want to be that exception," Draco said, taking Harry into his arms and Apparting them home to Draco's place.

"Don't you think using manipulative tactics to get your way is somehow a mistake?" Harry whispered to him.

"I can't really call it a mistake when I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat," Draco said, and that was the end of that discussion, at least for now...


End file.
